FAQs

These pages are a good starting point if you have a quick question that needs answering. In order to find the questions and answers that are best for you, we have categorized them based upon the most relevant member type that they relate to. If you cannot find the answer you are looking for then please contact us via the Enquire Now option on the right hand side of the screen.

You can pay extra to increase your retirement benefits. You can do this either by paying additional regular contributions (ARCs) to buy extra LGPS pension, or by making payments to a personal pension, stakeholder pension or free-standing AVC scheme of your own choice. You can also make payments to a personal pension, stakeholder pension or free-standing AVC scheme of your own choice. There is one open AVC arrangement available for the Active Fund with Prudential. Further details regarding the benefits available can be obtained from Equiniti, Sutherland House, Russell Way, Crawley, RH10 1UH. Please quote your pensions reference on any correspondence.

Yes, however any application should be made within 12 months of your joining Hackney. You should put your request in writing to London Borough of Hackney Pensions, Equiniti, Sutherland House, Russell Way, Crawley, RH10 1UH. You should include details of your previous pension scheme. Equiniti will contact your previous pension provider for details of the transfer value. On receipt of this information Equiniti will calculate the value of the Hackney credit available. They will then write to you asking you if you wish to proceed with the transfer. The transfer will only take place on receipt of your authority to proceed.

Equiniti should write to you, informing you that you may elect to aggregate your previous period of membership to count in relation to your new period of membership. This correspondence should explain the full implications of the aggregation. You need to make this election within 12 months of rejoining the scheme.

You should either notify your employer or write direct to the Administrator, London Borough of Hackney Pensions, Equiniti, Sutherland House, Russell Way, Crawley, RH10 1UH providing them with details of your previous LGPS Fund membership. Equiniti will request details from your previous LGPS Fund. On receipt of the deferred pension details Equiniti will contact you informing you that you may elect to transfer and aggregate your previous period of scheme membership. You need to make this election within 12 months of joining Hackney.

Employers

Employers should provide new appointees, both full and part-time with the Guide to the Scheme, if they have not previously received one and informing them that, without exception, they are automatically members of the scheme unless they opt out. Further information can be found in the Employer Guide under Employers responsibilities.

If a pensioner dies within 5 years of taking pension benefits, a Supplementary Death Grant (SDG) is payable which calculated as follows:

The SDG = AR - AP where:

AR is 5 times the annual rate of pension payable on death, ignoring any reduction due to abatement. The annual rate of pension is the net amount of pension payable after any reduction due to an actuarial reduction or the conversion of pension to take a higher retirement lump sum.

AP is the amount of this pension which has been paid up to the member's date of death.